Creatine vs Glutamine - Final Comparison

So this is what it's come to; we have to decide which supplement is better.

We went over the basics for both, so this shouldn't be too hard.

If you had to choose right now, which would you pick: creatine or glutamine?

I don't really know which I would choose myself, so let's do a little point-by-point comparison.

Final Comparison

Creatine and glutamine are both pretty handy supplements. Both are created naturally in our bodies and can hold off muscle catabolism. And you can get by on your natural body stores of creatine alone, but if your body is running low on glutamine it'll break down your muscle protein. So to me, that'd make glutamine supplementation a little more important. (Creatine: 0, Glutamine: 1)

But, glutamine is in more food sources than creatine. So, in terms of needing to use a supplement, creatine would win this one. If you eat a healthy diet, you're probably already getting 5 - 8 grams of glutamine daily from your food alone. (C: 1, G: 1)

Both creatine and glutamine provide energy to your body; creatine gives energy to your muscles and glutamine gives energy to your immune system and helps replenish your glycogen stores. But, since you're supplementing to boost your performance in exercise, I think I'll probably give this one to creatine; it gives your muscles extra energy for explosive movements. (C: 2, G: 1) You'll most likely have food in your stomach while you exercise, and won't be relying much on your glycogen stores for energy, otherwise I would have given it to glutamine.

Both supplements can volumize your cells and speed up recovery. But creatine will make your muscles look more pumped up and full from water retention, and it'll also enhance hypertrophy and make your muscles even bigger. (C: 3, G: 1)

The water retention from creatine might make you look bloated and your muscles feel softer. But, since you may not notice either, we'll only give glutamine half a point. (C: 3, G: 1.5)

You'll have big gains at first with creatine, but those gains won't be consistent after a while, which is why it's recommended to cycle your creatine supplementation. Your gains will be more consistent with glutamine; there's no need to cycle on and off or to go through a loading phase. (C: 3, G: 2.5)

Both supplements can increase fat loss, but glutamine will boost your growth hormone. A small dose of 2 grams on an empty stomach will raise your growth hormone levels by 400%! (C: 3, G: 3.5)

Creatine can lower your cholesterol, and it will also hold off lactic acid build up and may boost your memory. That means you can lift harder and longer in the gym without that burning feeling in your muscles holding you back, and you might have a better chance of remembering the cute personal trainer's phone number. (C: 5, G: 3.5)

Glutamine will keep your nitrogen levels in balance. It also seems that people like glutamine more; it's not banned anywhere and its use isn't frowned upon in competition. But that doesn't really mean it's any better of a supplement, so we'll only give it half a point for that and a full point for the nitrogen. (C: 5, G: 5)

Neither supplement is stable unless stored in their dry powder form, plus there are really no real side effects from either, if you use the proper dosages. But it does seem that glutamine has less documented risks though, so we'll give it another half point. (C: 5, G: 5.5)

It's so close; both sides are putting up a good fight! So let's get to what really matters most.

How much are these supplements going to cost?

Prices are going to vary by brand and by store, but I did some research on the internet so that you didn't have to. And I was a little surprised to find that I could get creatine slightly cheaper per gram than I could get glutamine.

If you go through a loading phase with creatine, you're looking at 385 - 630 grams you'd need for two months, which depends on your size and how many grams you'd take for your maintenance dosage. But if you don't do the "loading" for the first week, you're looking at consuming 280 - 560 grams of creatine in two months. So, if you bought this 1000 gram jug I found (with shipping included), it would cost you around $8.74 - $14.30 for two months with a loading phase. Without that initial week of loading, it'll only cost you around $6.36 - $12.71 for those two months.

Now, you already know there's no reason to load up on glutamine, but you may require a larger daily dosage per gram compared to creatine. If you only take 5 grams a day then you'll only need 280 grams of glutamine for two months. But, if your body's under a lot of stress, then you may be taking around 15 grams a day. Then you'd need 840 grams of glutamine for two months. So, if you buy the 1000 gram jug I found, you're looking at spending anywhere from $7.44 to $22.31 for two months of supplementation.

AND THE WINNER IS...

...creatine, by way of decision!

Now, that was a close call, but you don't have to trust my judgement; the number of benefits for both are almost too close to call. Spend a few hours on the internet and do your own research, just make sure you're getting your information from reliable sources. Or better yet, read a book.

Both supplements are beneficial, so try them out and see which works best for you. I've used them both separately and at the same time. You can even find some supplements that have a good dosage of both creatine and glutamine in them, which could save you some money.

Now I hope, at the very least, that you learned something from this series of articles and can use your knowledge for gains in the future.

Which Supplement Do YOU Prefer?

No HTML is allowed in comments, but URLs will be hyperlinked. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites.

sending

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

4 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Hey Victor, for bulking up I think you're going to want to do more than just use glutamine. You'll first want to set up a workout program where you do low reps, at higher weights, targeting your whole body, as well as start eating more calories. You're going to need those extra calories, in the form of a balanced diet, high in protein, to help fuel the creation of new muscle, and help you hold onto it.

If you already plan on using glutamine, that's a good start, but I'd also recommend a multivitamin, possibly some essential fatty acids, and BCAAs, to really help you cover all the bases and ensure that your diet isn't holding you back from gaining some size. You'll be exerting yourself a lot more and, if you want to make progress, you want to ensure you don't have any nutritional deficiencies.

But in terms of supplements that are commonly used to bulk up, there are protein shakes, "weight gainers", creatine, and of course glutamine, which as you know is another very handy amino acid.

That would be a much better approach to bulking up, than just adding glutamine into the mix on its own.

victor

4 years ago

My weight is just 137 pounds and my height is 5'8 . can I use only glutomine after workout to increase my weight. Please advise

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

6 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Hey DirtyS,

I erased your comments because you were spamming my comment section. You posted a link to the same article like 5 times on different articles of mine and didn't include much information at all in your comment. To me that's an attempt to direct traffic to some other site which, for all I know, could be your own blog.

If you would have looked directly above one of your spam comments you would have seen that I left a comment alone, from someone else who is concerned about glutamine. Why? Because he didn't include a link, only commented once and got his point across with his words.

And I DO mention possible side effects in the "Side Effects and Cons" section of this article series. Things like upset stomachs and avoiding glutamine if you have kidney disease, liver failure or are prone to seizures.

I have nothing against you adding to the content of my articles, if you're not going to spam and you can keep the language PG.

erasethisyoudirtyshit

6 years ago

frakken idiot does not even tell you any of the dangers of this supplement, I posted an article from an expert in the field, a neurologist, and the dumb bastard just kept erasing the post, what an evil piece of shit for that. glutamine CAN be the catalyst for a horrible excitotoxin that can cause massive damage, including to your brain.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

6 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Haha thanks, Jacob! I used the wrong word and then confused myself whenever I answered a comment above. I've changed it now, but I'm glad you liked the article series!

Jacob

6 years ago

Great, informative article!

I only found one point confusing, however. You mention that Creatine and Glutamine will INHIBIT fat loss.

The word "inhibit" means to limit or prevent whereas, as I understand, you were trying to make the opposite argument.

Might be worth clearing that up.

Otherwise, best comparison I have found. Thanks!

Zuz

7 years ago

Cool, thanks Bendo, i will start with CLA anyway this week.

Regards

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Hey Zuz, as simple as that site makes it sound to find out... I can't find any supplement that tells you how they extract it, so I've emailed MRM to ask them which method they use. I'll let you know if they write me back.

Zuz

7 years ago

Oh great, thanks Bendo, (Monday Wednesday and Friday should be great) i am sure i first need to go for CLA to get rid of Fat and then try Creatine or Glutamine. Just one more question when i was reading CLA Hub and google safflower, i found another web site which got some good info about safflower seed oil.

It shows one very important thing is if oil is extracted by mechanical way or Chemical way. Chemical way is not good at all, so question is this MRM CLA 1250 High derived from mechanical or chemical way? Or if you got some other brand which sure use safflower seed oil extracted mechanically so we can be saved from side effects of chemicals.

...and then see if your doctors know anything about it or trust it. It's natural supplement and it's more focused toward weight loss than creatine or glutamine are.

But don't overdo things; give yourself breaks in between your workouts - otherwise you'll burn out. You could workout Monday, Wednesday and Friday and will have more energy in the gym, won't be overwhelmed by your workouts AND your body will have time to heal, which means better results and a workout you can stick to.

Zuz

7 years ago

Yes Bendo, i talk to my family Doctor and she doesn’t know and trust anything about this or any supplements. She just believes on healthy eating and some sports. I talk to some other doctors as well and they got same advice for me. I have been eating healthy for at least last 2 years but my weight is not going down, issue is when I try to play like table tennis, badminton, racket ball or just running, it make me tired and out of breath very quickly and still if I try to push myself for few days may be 2 weeks and then I am done and lost all energy and motivation to do any more and completely out for months. For last 10 years I don’t remember if I did workout / sports daily for more than 2 weeks ?. Right at this time also I have been going to LA fitness daily for last 2 weeks (every day about one hour) and now I am about to lose it again! I lost my motivation already and tired of it even though I want to get fit and lose weight. I don’t do a lot in there just 20min cardio on cross trainer and then some light weight work out with machines, one day upper body and other day lower body. I use to do a lot of free weight 20 years back but now if I try them it heart and give me muscles pull. I am almost 50 and was very very fit and sporty in my 30s (miss good old days! Want to be there again)

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Hey Zuz, in order to be sure that it's safe for you to take supplements like this it'd be best if you asked your doctor. I don't want to say it's OK and have it end up hurting you.

But for your workouts, since you have bad knees, you could do things like interval training while swimming or using an elliptical; which are pretty low-impact exercises.

Zuz

7 years ago

Hi Bendo

Thanks for great deal of info. I was happy to see the good sides of both supplements but when i read about cones, i got scared as i got some issue with my Liver, i got fatty lever and on blood test it shows high secretions and also i am type II diabetic.

I got to lose about 30 lbs of belly fat. I also got issues with my knees and cannot do a lot of running. Please advise me what I should do.

Thanks and Regards

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

My pleasure, Monica... I hope you see further success with it!

Monica

7 years ago

Hi,

Thanks for the info! I actually was looking at the MRM brand, so I guess that's a good choice! I found it on Bodybuilding.com and can't recall if I compared it to Amazon but I will double check to see which is the best deal. So, 1 pill three times a day with that one. I can do that. I'm anxious to try it. I am really noticing muscle change and build but have some stubborn fat I still want to lose;-) I will give this a try and let you know how it goes.

Thanks again for all of your information-you've been a great help.

Monica

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Hey Monica, glad to hear things are going well!

CLA has been shown to help people gain muscle and lose fat without them changing anything in their routine... so if you're working out and watching what you eat then you'll definitely see some good results!

You want to get 3 grams a day - in 1 gram doses/three times a day. But you have to watch to be sure that a serving actually has a full gram in it. Here are the supplements I recommend:

I actually just bought the MRM brand at the bottom because it gives you 1 gram in one pill.

Monica

7 years ago

Hi again,

I've been using creatine and glutamine together now for 6 weeks and am doing well. I am thinking of adding CLA to the mix, hoping it will help get rid of the few extra pounds I'd like to shed. I've been working out three days a week with my trainer now, the third day being a weight loading leg workout. Do you think CLA would be beneficial at this point? If so, do you have a recommendation of amount per day and brand?

Thanks,

Monica

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

That would be a big NO, bostin... I don't know who told you that but alcohol works against your muscle building efforts and recovery.

bostin

7 years ago

hi bendo.....can we drink beer with creatine.....i've heared that it helps in increasing muscles...

Monica

7 years ago

I will check out that site and also check on Amazon.

Thank you for all of your information!

Much appreciated;-)

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

I'm glad to hear you didn't let the accident keep you down, Monica!

You could get glutamine from Amazon, or another good place is Bodybuilding.com.

Click the "interactions" tab and it will show you things that glutamine might interact with.

Monica

7 years ago

Thank you for the info. I take creatine everyday and do a double dose on my workout days. I have pretty intense workouts 2 days a week (with a trainer) then a day of cardio, then 3 days of Pilates. I have noticed, as mentioned in the previous post, quite a difference in muscle tone and definition. I use the Con-cret brand of creatine, one recommended by my trainer. Do you have a good source, via the web, that I can shop for glutamine-with good pricing? I buy the other from Amazon and get a great price. I have severe arthritis in my right ankle joint, from a very serious car accident 6 years ago (arthritis not from old age-I'm 45)and so my workouts, unfortunately, have to be able to accommodate that. I'm not a quitter, otherwise I'd be sitting on the couch and getting fat;-) I am curious to try out glutamine, with creatine, to see if I see more results. Having been extremely active before the accident, I want to get back as much as I can-and beyond, and I think I'm doing pretty well so far. It's been a long journey but one I can't give up!

I'll check back to see if you can advise me on good sources for it online. Also, do you know if it can be safely used with prescription medications? I know my doctor has no problem with creatine and I'm guessing the other is not much different.

Thanks again! Sorry to 'talk' your ear off;-)

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

It's definitely safe, Monica... in fact, some companies put both supplements into their mix to make combination supplements.

If you want to start taking glutamine then start out small to see what changes it brings - 5 grams a day, right after your workout should do you good. And on days you don't workout then take that 5 grams right before bed.

Let me know if you start noticing changes!

Monica

7 years ago

I have been using creatine for months now and I have noticed a difference in muscle definition and love the results! I do feel it gives me more strength when I'm working out and does help in recovery. I've been curious about the other and wondered if one was better than the next. I think I'll stick with creatine. I guess I am curious to see what results I'd get in using both, though. You say that is safe, correct? In my case, what amount would you recommend? I'm 5'3"--122 pounds.

And it should be perfectly fine to take with a weight gainer, but you might want to check the ingredients first! Most weight gainers already have creatine and glutamine in them, as well as protein and other things.

Vipul

7 years ago

Hello plz can u guid me the best timings to take glutamine n creatine n how to take? Can we combine it both wid gainer suppliment?

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

You're welcome, lucky... but Optimum whey is one of the most popular proteins out there; a lot of people love it, so yeah that's a good one to go with.

The Weider glutamine will work too, since it's just straight up glutamine (hard to mess that up), but I would take two servings a day... as I can see you only get 3g of glutamin per serving and you want at least 5g a day.

So take a serving after your workout and a serving before bed and you should be good to go!

I know nothing about those two things and the only thing I can assume is now your body has to get use to producing hormones naturally again... there's going to be a little down time if you don't cycle off the right way. Plus your body doesn't naturally produce in the amounts you got use to when you supplemented with them, otherwise it wouldn't be considered a supplement, right?

So, you probably aren't going to naturally be able to gain the same amount of size, muscle or strength without going back on them... but you can get close with supplements like creatine and glutamine.

Glutamine helps you build muscle and repair faster and it even boosts GH... creatine will help you work out for harder, longer and make your muscles bigger... so given what you're trying to achieve, why not just take both?

They're safe, not that expensive and they'll both give you some good results... be sure to do a lot of work with exercises that naturally get your hormones going, like squats and deadlifts... and feel free to round things out with a combo protein powder like MyoFusion.

lucky

7 years ago

Thanx bendo for such a great teaching..........i want to ask something about my supplimentation....i had a cycle of testa and deca.i found a great result after that....but now i am very weak after 3 months of my cycle ......so can u please tell me how to recover my muscles again without using 'roids .......wt should i take now creatine or glutamine.....i'll be very thankful to u...

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Hey, pi... you will notice a slight difference, like you might not be able to lift as hard for as long and you might not look as pumped up, as a lot of the water leaves your muscles, but a lot of people think they look a little "puffy" on creatine, from the water retention... so you'll probably look a bit more cut once you come off creatine. I wouldn't say it would be a drastic difference once you stop though; you should still be able to lift as heavy as before, you'll just get tired easier.

Hey JimmyJohn, I stopped using them a while ago because I wanted to see what my body was capable of, with a balanced diet... It saves me some money and I don't have to worry about questions popping into my head, like what pi just asked... I have nothing against supplements that have been proven to work, but for now I prefer to challenge my body and hone in on my diet to boost my workout results.

Hey Marcus22, as you can see from my comparison I think creatine beats out glutamine just by a hair... and it would be a great supplement for you to try out. It should give you the boost you're looking for and help you recover faster.

Marcus22

7 years ago

Okay so I just started working out again(was injured) and I want to add another supplement for faster results i.c muscle mass,recovery. Atm I'm taking whey protein everyday. Ive been reading and reading about the comparison of creatine and glutamime. I really don't want to take both so which would be best for a first time user?

JimmyJohn

7 years ago

Hey Bendo, you mentioned in a much earlier post that you don't take supplements anymore. Why not. You got something against supplements, buddy?

pi

7 years ago

Hey Bendo13. Great hub! I was wondering if you stop taking creatine, will you still be able to lift/press as hard as you could when you were on creatine?

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

These supplements work great together, servitefriars! If you read part six you can see when and how much to take of each and it's fine to take glutamine when you're on your creatine maintenance phase.

As you can see creatine only won by decision... both supplements can bring you great benefits and they work well together to give you even greater benefits.

servitefriars

7 years ago

great article, but if I were to take both creatine/glutamine would it matter if I had taken gluatamine on my creatine maintence phase? would it be more effective if i took the both together?

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

I'm glad I could help, Rajiv! You can definitely take both of these supplements together. Go up to the top of this article and there is a link back to part 6 of this series that gives you suggestions on the best times to take each supplements.

Hope that helps!

Rajiv Sood

7 years ago

I really appreciate your article..... because it provides me great knowledge about creatine and glutamine suppliments... Now i have just started Creatine.. but i would also like to try Glutamince..

I want to know that .... can i use both of these supplements all together?????

Plz suggest me how much gap should be there if i want to use both of them

My E-mail address is rajivsood777@yahoo.com

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Thanks, Gummi! It really pays to do research on what you put in your body... these were always two of my favorite supplements.

Thanks for reading!

Gummi

7 years agofrom Iceland

Great article Bendo. You have obviously studied the topic well!! Thank you for sharing it.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

7 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

My pleasure saif113sb!

saif113sb

7 years ago

Good information hub; thanks

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Glad you got something out of it, aslanlight!

Thanks for reading!

aslanlight

8 years agofrom England

A very useful hub for me because I need more energy. Thanks!

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Yeah there's nothing wrong with that, Edwin! It's protein powder from whey (a milk product) so unless they're adding in shady ingredients it's no problem. Can be a cheap way to help fill in those protein gaps.

Some people do cycle their creatine off and on after a few months but others just keep on using it straight through.

Edwin

8 years ago

Great article, I been working out and only taking whey protein. Im going to start taking Creatine and Glutamine soon.. Quick question: Is it ok if I take whey protein (or any powder supplement) for an extended amount of time? In example, 6 months straight? Thanks by the way.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

My pleasure, Tiago... I hope it helps you in your supplementation!

Tiago

8 years ago

Excellent article!!

Thank you very much for teaching me the difference.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

James, it appears as though you might actually have come up with a great schedule yourself! Especially since you're a bigger guy doing intense workouts.

The only thing I might change, and this is all up to you and how comfortable you feel, is the protein before your workout. Sometimes people say that consuming a protein powder right before a workout bothers their stomach. But if you don't notice this then stick to your schedule and you should be good!

James

8 years ago

Hello Bendo, nice information you've delivered till now...

I am letting you know, I am currently using 5gm GLUTAMINE mixed with my WHEY PROTIEN 30gm scoop at 5 minutes after waking up, then I take 5gm GLUTAMINE + 5gm CREATINE + 30gm WHEY PROTIEN scoop approximately 30 minutes before my exercise, then I take 5gm GLUTAMINE + 5gm CREATINE + 30gm WHEY PROTIEN scoop immediately my workout, then I take 5gm GLUTAMINE mixed with my WHEY PROTIEN 30gm scoop 20 minutes before I close my eyes in night...

Please recommend the perfectness in this dosage. Please note, that I am a heavy body builder playing around with huge weights. So, want to take your suggestion too...

Kindly email me if possible about any change you would like in my schedule, coz it may get me difficult to revisit this off and on...

waqqas_@hotmail.com

-----------------------------------------------

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Both glutamine and glutamic acid can be converted into each other in your body but in order for glutamic acid to convert into glutamine it has to make it to your liver and have ammonia added to it.

Glutamine is the free form of the amino acid and has a different function in your body than glutamic acid. So if you want the benefits of glutamine then you'll want to get a supplement that contains glutamine, not glutamic acid.

Barca

8 years ago

Thanks Bendo for the link. Unfortunately, having read it I am no wiser whether the "glutamic acid" in my multi-supplement will do the job that "glutamine" is supposed to as per your article.

Sorry if this has already been discussed. Is "glutamic acid" in my multi-amino-acid supplement same as "glutamine"? Thank You.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Creatine would have to do it indirectly, alex, by helping you pack on extra muscle without really fluctuating your fat loss levels you would have a better body fat percentage (which doesn't mean you lost any fat). But by having extra muscle, you would increase your metabolism and eventually lose fat.

BUT glutamine inhibits fat loss by boosting your growth hormone levels by a huge amount. There have been studies that have shown that increased GH levels can cause you to shed fat while holding onto your muscle, that's why I gave that point to glutamine. Since creatine could only help you lose fat through a technicality.

alex

8 years ago

"Both supplements can inhibit fat loss"

How so?

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Estertine, creatine ethyl ester is talked about as being able to be absorbed quicker.. but studies have shown that it breaks down a lot faster in your stomach.

In one test, after 30 minutes, a good amount of creatine ethyl ester had broken down into creatinine, which is useless. They tested two CEE products against one creatine monohydrate product and in just a half hour only 73% of the creatine was able to be used from the one product and only 62% of the other product was still creatine.

But 99% of the creatine monohydrate was still usable. So sure, it might be absorbed quicker but it also breaks down quicker... that's why I stick to monohydrate.

Estertine

8 years ago

Creatine ethyl ester is the best. It works for everyone

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Yeah you'll probably want to raise your water intake a little. You'll want to take in about 16 ounces of water each time you take glutamine or creatine.

For me, it's never been a lot and definitely no puffy face. I never really noticed much of anything but it's different for everyone. I'm sure a lot of the gripe comes from bodybuilders who nitpick at every aspect of their body because they have to look the best for their show.

Grants

8 years ago

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, i haven't noticed much water retention of the Glutamine but i drink minimum 3 litres of water a day. Guessing i will need to up this more when i start on the Creatine? Will teh water retention be alot of creatine do you think? and will effect my whole body i.e. bloated face do you know?

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Grants, you may run into some water retention with both glutamine and creatine but you can help combat it some. First you'll want to do something you wouldn't think would work: drink a lot of water! And second you'll want to reduce the sodium (salt) in your diet. That should help you reduce the water retention as much as possible when you're supplementing with these two.

Since you're worried about water retention and creatine definitely is notorious for that, I'd recommend only one dosage (3-5 grams) of it 30 minutes to an hour after your workout. Your insulin levels will be up high and it'll be absorbed quickly to help replenish your reserves and hold off muscle damage.

Grants

8 years ago

Will the Glutamine help reduce water retention. I dont want to blow up and loose the difined look. I tak 5g Glut morn, 5 after train mixed with protein and 5 before bed. When would be a good time to take the creatine?

Great article byt thway. Lots of help. Cheers

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Thanks for the suggestion, DD... maybe I'll write something about ZMA at some point.

DD

8 years ago

id love to c a comparison of similar sorts done wid creatine, glutamine and ZMA

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

No problem Nash.

Nash

8 years ago

Sweet. Will do. Thanks for that clarification mate.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Thank you Nash! Yes, you can take them all... I'd keep your protein and glutamine in your workout shake directly after your workout. But you can take a dose of creatine an hour before or an hour after your workout if you'd like.

Nash

8 years ago

This was a really well written, easy to understand article that educated me on a a bunch of things. One question I do have for the author though. Can I take both Glutamine and Creatine daily along with protein? If so which one would be ideal before the workout.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

8 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Thanks for reading, Jmoney!

Yeah creatine will cause your muscles to saturate with water.. as common issue.. But I'm glad to hear you had a great success with glutamine! That's a great bench press!

Jmoney

8 years ago

I have taken both glutamine and creatine in the past. I can say that with creatine I gained lots of water weight wich did make me look bloated and a little more chubbier. I took glutamine for one month and lost tremendous amount of body fat, my gut is almost gone and today I benched 375 the most I have ever done. I can say that Glutamine must have raised my hgh levels alot! I would recommend it to everyone. Thanks for the article though because I thought I was taking too much Glutamine but now Im ok Because Im only taking 10g a day.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

There's nothing wrong with taking both of these supplements together and taking creatine 45 minutes before your workout will be beneficial but the best time to take glutamine would be after your workout. This will help speed up your recovery, xxx.

xxx

9 years ago

Is it okay to take creatine 45 min before workout and glutamine like right at the begining of the workout

'

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Hey ftc,

If you're still getting some workouts in and are active at work, you're probably still going to be using the muscle you've built... so I wouldn't expect you to cut down drastically at all. But, if you started using the glutamine, you may hold onto even more of your muscle if you go a while without a good workout. It may give you a beneficial boost in that area.

It's not like you'd be reduced to a string bean if you stopped using it either. Like I said, our bodies create it naturally and it's in food sources... so it's not like you're adding something really foreign to your body.

ftc4life

9 years ago

thanks i lot on the info but iam new to all this i have been in ufc for 6 months now an my dad gave me a bottle of glutamine the other day an i have not took it cas i dont work out all the time i do as much as i can but with work an all its hard what would happen if i stop using would it cut me down sorry if this is a lot to ask but i dont want to f my body up you know

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Glad to see you're still putting in the good work Last Train!

I hope you see many new improvements... thanks for reading!

lasttrain

9 years ago

Way to go Bendo13. Just what I needed. I'm probably your oldest responder at 71. Been into BB for 10 months, have made visual progress using just creatine, but will start using glutamine as well. Have never felt better in my life, and my wife of 50 years says I look good too. What more could I ask?

i take a creatine/glutamine mix after i workout everyday and i feel much more energized and ive been noticing more rapid weight gain and strength gains. i went from incline benching 185 once to putting it up about 3 or 4 times in like 2 weeks id definitely try both if you can

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Yes you can take both in capsule form and it'd most likely affect you the same way. Just make sure it's creatine monohydrate; there's a lot of different creatine forms out there that aren't as good. So sure, straight glutamine or creatine monohydrate powder inside a capsule would be just fine if you don't want to mix it in a drink. Just be sure to drink a good amount of water when you pop the capsule.

Phillyflash

9 years ago

I noticed there was no mention of taking either the Creatine or Glutamine in any form other than powder. Is it possible to get these supplements in other more convenient forms, such as capsules or tablets. And, if so, how will it affect the user.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

You're both welcome! I hope your supplementation can help you move on quicker too, David.

David Knapp

9 years ago

Thank you for this very informative article. I have been using creatine pretty regularly but have started training really heavy this week. I am hoping that starting glutamine will help me from getting so sore.

dnrkrishnan25

9 years ago

nice hub....thanks...

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Thanks Hags! I haven't read anything about that being an issue with glutamine before, but someone correct me if I'm wrong. You should be alright if it's only in there a few hours before you drink it.

Hags

9 years ago

Great article! I have been using creatine and glut for a while and love them both. I have used creatine for a long while and just started using glut recently and love it. I'm no big body builder nor am I trying to be, I feel like glut really keeps the lean muscle building when I cycle off creatine..... Question? I know you said not to mix the creatine for more than a few hours before taking it... what about glutamine? I take it in the morning in night right after mixing but I usually have 5 grams in my water I drink in the middle of the day. Is that being dissolved with no effect? Thanks again.. good info!

Shawn

9 years ago

Very nice information. I have ordered both creatine and glutamine from bodybuilding.com, and it just arrived about 2-3 days ago. I have so far took about total: 30-40 grams of creatine and the same with glutamine. Just from this small dosage, I am now lifting, pulling, and pushing more weight in the gym. I am very glad I ordered this stuff. Anyone thinking of trying creatine or glutamine; I HIGHLY recommend trying it out. For the muscle, strength, size, and health benefits, the purchase for both is definitely worth it, especially if you buy it for a great deal.

Good luck EVERYONE on your muscle gains. Cheers. :)

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

I agree Kate! There's very little I'd take if I got back into taking supplements.

kateminogue

9 years ago

Thanks for this, there's so many crap supplements out there!

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

No problem mikeo!

mikeo

9 years ago

fantastic info. thx for doing the resaerch and sharing it in cyberworld....good on ya...cheers

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Glad you got something out of it Garry!

garry

9 years ago

thank you very much for this useful information

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

I agree Kiefer, you need to change what you're doing to continue to progress.. and if you want to look like Jay, I'm sorry you can't do it without 'roids.

Kiefer

9 years ago

Yes,good point. But in my opinion L-Glutamine is the winner. They're are no side effects of taking and it increases your metabolism, muscle recovery, strength, endurance, and gain REAL solid muscle from hard work. Down the road glutamine is a tremendous payoff what with e physical features. Creatine is just to damn hard on your kidneys. However, I think all lifters like me deserve a break from glutamine and creatine. About 1-1.5 weeks off every now and then get back back on it to see more gains and jolt your body. Thats the problem with lifters today. They want to make gain in all fields with muscle strength, endurance, and hardcore Jay Cutler look. But, your body gets used to the same routine you put it through with eating, lifting, supplements, etc. If anyone reads this, take both at the same time. Glutamione first, since glutamine diminishes and destroys the creatine if you take both at the same time. Anyone want to know more just ask. Thanks for the article too. It was very informative instead of those other blogs.

AUTHOR

Ben Guinter

9 years agofrom Colorado Springs, Colorado

Yeah Vinie not all creatines are created equal!

Universal Storm Creatine says it has 4 types of creatine. A 5000 mg combo in each scoop. They have something called the Tricreatine Matrix (Creatine Gluconate, Creatine Orotate, Creatine AKG), then Di-Creatine Malate, then Creatine Monohydrate and then Magnesium Creatine Chelate.

I've never used it but it seems Vinie isn't the only one that likes it.. It has an 8.2 out of 10 on bodybuilding.com.

vinie rakim

9 years ago

Ave been using creatine mono with some measurable result, but i can say some creatine are way superoir and improved than others, i wonder what kind of UNIVERSAL STORM CREATINE is made of, it works like magic-u'd think you are on testosterone, try it, am not advertising it, am talking from experience. that stuff works quick quick

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